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Offline WellRoundedIndividual

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  • Proverbs 13:20 is extremely relevant today.
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Re: Samuel Birley aka Rowbotham
« Reply #80 on: January 19, 2019, 04:53:19 AM »
I agree with George. My original line of questioning was concerning the validity of stories concerning his background and involvement of others in his life. It evolved into this. (Hence, my oft said claim that everyone keeps shifting context).

I will point out that George is also shifting context. He is no longer using (if he ever did in this thread, although Tom has and is) the word cure in association with phosphorus. It is now a treatment. Shifting of context again. (Unless, he is agreeing with me that it is a treatment for pain, and not a cure for neuralgia (which is just nerve pain).
BobLawBlah.

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Offline stack

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Re: Samuel Birley aka Rowbotham
« Reply #81 on: January 19, 2019, 09:58:23 AM »
In summary, the OP:

So, I tried to use the search function to find anyone talking about the former secretary of the Zetetic Society, Henry Ossipoff Wolfson. Apparently, he wrote a expose on Rowbotham positing that he was a snake oil salesman, in short. He claimed that Rowbotham went by the name of Dr. Samuel Birley, and that Rowbotham was merely using the Flat Earth theory as a cover to hoodwink people.  Is there any truth to this story being true, and is there any truth to the claims of Mr. Wolfson (if said story is true)?

I paraphrase what I posted before and gleaned from digging around before I too lost the thread of the thread. Here's what I think I know, feel free to correct.

- Henry Ossipoff Wolfson was appointed Secretary of the Zetetic Society at it's creation by Rowbotham himself, late in Rowbotham's life
- Wolfson, some six months later, contacted Proctor and the publication, Knowledge, to ask if he could write an expose, seemingly attempting to expose Robotham as I guess a fraud
- Subsequently, Wolfson wrote two essays/acts of what were to be perhaps more 'takedowns' of Rowbotham, in part, calling out his nom de plumes and capping on his elixirs and their efficacy for medical treatment of whatever
- Wolfson's essays I & II were published in 'Knowledge' in 1884 and are referenced here in the TFES repository of FE literature
- As a result of the published essays, representatives for Rowbotham threatened to sue 'Knowledge'
- Rowbotham dies, suits are not pursued and further writing on the matter by Wolfson are non-existent

That's about all I think I know.